A Gorham teenager, who dwells in a silent world, got a new bike and a dream come true this week.

“Thank you. Can I ride it outside now? Can I take it to Walden School?” asked Nicholas Thompson, 18, who is deaf, communicating through sign language with his mom, Terri Thompson.

Home on vacation from a Massachusetts school, Nick got a bike built for two from the Portland chapter of the Dream Factory Monday. A license plate on the bike reads “Nick” and the license- plate holder says “Harley Davidson.”

Nick goes to Walden School in Framingham, Mass., a school for emotionally challenged children. Nick also is afflicted with several other health issues, including eye and heart defects, growth and mental retardation and breathing difficulty.

“He lives his whole life inside,” said the teen’s stepfather, Henry Porter.

The bike will allow an adult to ride with Nick. Dream Factory volunteers Jessica Sturges and Pat Powers delivered the metallic red, tandem bike. The Dream Factory grants dreams to children diagnosed with critical or chronic illnesses who are 3 through 18 years of age.

In Nick’s case, his mom chose the dream for her son, who was unable to formulate a dream of his own. But he smiled when he saw the bike. “It was definitely a look of delight,” she said. “It was a happy expression – a surprise.”

Porter said Nick could ride a bike, but needed a hand. “He needs a captain to help him,” he said.

Nick hopped aboard, sitting on a seat inside his family’s home. He tooted the horn repeatedly. “He said the horn is his favorite part,” she said.

Nick is oldest of four children. His sister, Charlotte, 15, is a Gorham High School student, and Emily, 13, and Fangen, 12, are both students at Gorham Middle School. Fangen, who is also deaf, was adopted from China.

Bestowing the dream gift was a first for Sturges, who is stepdaughter of Gorham Fire Chief Bob Lefebvre. “It was great,” Sturges said. “It was great to see his smile.”

Cutline (Nick 9)